As the school year begins, I wonder: Is this the year I will finally
figure out the perfect solution to organizing the family? With only two
kids still at home, will the magic formula for corralling papers,
supplies, keys, and permissions slips present itself?

Here's a fun and easy project that will not only help you use up large fabric scraps
but will serve as a useful decoration in your studio, bedroom, or a
college dorm. You could even piece the covers from smaller scraps for a
patchwork effect.

In this free webinar, Creative Eye Opener: Turning Your Casual Photos into Patchwork, Christina Lane and Diane Gilleland will show you how to use those images as inspiration to create patchwork patterns.

The popularity of pre-cut fabric packs like jelly rolls has made it easier than ever to put together modern patchwork projects. Pre-cuts are a real time-saver, especially if you're making a full-size patchwork quilt.

Several years ago I was helping a friend clean out her neighbor's sewing room and we came across a beautiful piece of handwork. It was a hand-pieced patchwork block from a Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt and it captured my heart immediately. Not only was it pretty and colorful, it also told an intriguing story.

I've found that setting aside 15-20 minutes a day of "play time" works for me. Whether it is spent hand quilting, making a patchwork quilt for a friend, or spreading paints or inks on fabric in my studio for some surface design fun—it doesn't matter to me as long as I am tapping into my creativity.